Constant pressure, solid wax-applicator



March 19, 1968 c. w. BROUWER ET AL 3,373,718

CONSTANT PRESSURE, SOLID WAX-APPLICATOR Filed Jan. 9, 1967 INVENTOR CHAR LES W. BROUWEIR ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved yarn waxing device is disclosed which is operable to maintain a predetermined pressure on a strand during waxing thereof.

This invention relates generally to apparatus for winding yarn and, more particularly, relates to an improved device for waxing yarn as the yarn is advanced on the winding apparatus.

Throughout the following specification and claims, the term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strandular material, either textile or otherwise, and the term wax" is to be considered as referring to any composition of a solid wax-like material used as a strand lubricant or finish.

It is common in the textile industry to wind yarn from a supply source to form a suitable package and, as a part of the winding operation, to pass the yarn through ap paratus which serves to apply wax to the running strand. To this end, it is customary to positively rotate a cake or disc of wax While it bears on the running strand being drawn in a chordal manner therebeneath. This enables the uniform application of wax throughout the length of the strand. Also, this approach permits the wax disc to wear down uniformly and to contact the yarn uniformly.

The amount of wax applied to a unit length of a running strand of yarn normally varies as a function of the weight of the wax cake. Hence, as the wax cake diminishes in size during the course of winding, the strand receives proportionately less and less wax. Thus, at the outset of winding with a certain cake of wax an excessive amount of wax may be applied to the strand while toward the latter stages of winding therewith, an insuflicient amount of wax may be applied thereto.

The present invention operates automatically and continuously to compensate for the diminishing size of the wax cake. For this purpose, the preferred embodiment of the invention employs a spindle member of ferromagnetic material having a flange portion bearing against the wax cake, the other end thereof being movable into and out of the field of a magnet. The field of the magnet is of such a magnitude and the flux lines are so directed as to increase the bearing pressure against the wax cake at a rate and to an extent proportional to the rate and extent of wax consumption. Also, the invention is applicable to those known constructions which employ gravity alone to bias the wax cake toward the advancing strand as well as to those constructions employing springs or other mechanical biasing agents.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for waxing yarn.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device for waxing yarn wherein the wax cake is urged against the yarn under a predetermined pressure.

A further object of the invention is the provision of yarn waxing apparatus including compensating means which operates automatically to maintain the bearing pressure of a wax cake on an advancing strand of yarn at a predetermined value as the wax cake is consumed.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide yarn waxing apparatus operable to maintain a substantially ited States atent 3,373,718 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 constant tension on an advancing strand of yarn as the wax cake is consumed.

Other and further objects will be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the waxing device of the present invention incorporated on a winding machine, the .winding machine being illustrated fragmentarily.

FIG. 2 is a section taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the waxing device of the present invention may be employed in conjunction with a conventional winding mechanism such as that, for eX- ample, to which US. Patent No. 3,081,045 is directed. The waxing device may be mounted on the panel 10 of the Winding machine to intercept a yarn strand advancing from a supply to a take-up uni-t, neither the supply nor take-up unit being illustrated herein. As seen in FIG. 2, a bushing 12 is press fitted in a suitable bore formed in a reinforced section 14 of panel 10. A driven pulley 16 is rotatably supported on a washer 18 which is secured to bushing 12. In turn, the washer 18 is held in position by a snap-type retainer ring 20 engaged tightly in a suitable recess formed in the surface of bushing 12. Upward axial movement of pulley 16 is limited by the lower end wall of section 14. Said pulley 16 includes a yoke 22 and a shank portion 24 the lower end 25 of which is threaded. A block 26 is internally threaded permitting adjustable connection to threaded shank portion 25. A permanent magnet 28 having a central aperture 29 therethrough is durably bonded to the underside of said block 26 in any suitable manner. As seen in FIG. 2, pulley 16 is engaged by an endless belt 30. Said belt 30 also connects with a driving pulley (not shown). Hence, the belt 30 serves to impart rotation to pulley 16 and to the elements described herein which are operable via said pulley.

With continuing reference to FIG. 2 a circular platform 34 is centrally bored for reception over the bushing 12. Platform 34 is supported on the upper surface of panel 10 and is held against rotation by means of a pin 36 (see FIG. 1) embedded in said panel and extending upwardly therefrom. One or more wax cakes are supported on platform 34. As illustrated herein two such wax cakes .35, 35a, each provided with a central hole are received over the bushing 12 in a loose fitting relationship therewith. As wax is consumed by the yarn the wax cakes 35 and 35a are free to slide downwardly on said bushing.

Referring to FIG. .1, platform 34 and bushing 12 are so positioned on panel 10 that the strand of yarn Y lies on the surface of platform 34 adjacent bushing 12 as it advances beneath wax cake 35, the tension in the strand holding it in engagement with the bottom surface thereof and preventing any tendency it may have of walkingout, from under said cake.

The wax cakes 35, 35a are provided with projections 38 on the upper side thereof, with mating depressions 40 being formed in the underside of each cake. The depressions 40 of the upper wax cake 35a are of such a size and location as to be engaged by the projections 38 of the lower wax cake 35.

Viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 a circular plate 42 rests on the upper surface of topmost wax cake 35a. Said plate 42 is formed with depressions 44 which engage with the projections 38 in said wax cake. A spindle 46 is integrally formed with plate 42 and extends downwardly therefrom through bushing .12, pulley 16, and aperture 29. Spindle 46 is cylindrical over its major portion. However, the lower end of the spindle 46 is flattened along one portion as at 47 so that the spindle appears to have a D-shaped cross-section in the area of the flattened portion, as best seen in FIG. 1. The spindle 46 is slidingly received within a similarly shaped bore 48 in the shank 24 of pulley 16. Hence, rotation of pulley 16 imparts rotation to said spindle without impeding axial movement thereof through said bore 48. It will be seen, therefore, that rotation is imparted to the wax cakes 35, 35:: via plate 42. The interlocking arrangement provided by depressions 44 and projections 38 insure cooperative rotation of all the wax cakes positioned under plate 42.

The lower end 50 of spindle 46 is composed of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. As the wax cake 35 is consumed spindle 4 6 descends and its end 50 progresses ever deeper into the annular aperture 29 within magnet 28 and becomes ever more subject to the force of the magnetic field. When the tip end 50 is completely withdrawn from the influence of magnet 28, the pressure transmitted to the yarn strand Y consists of the combined weight of wax cakes 35, 35a, plate 42, and spindle 46. In order to achieve the goals of this invention, the tip end 50 and magnet 28 are so chosen as to assure that the downward force imparted thereby to spindle 46 is of a magnitude which substantially compensates for the amount of wax consumed. As seen in FIG. 2, the phantom line at 50a indicates the extremity of tip end 50 when, say, the pair of wax cakes 35, 35a are initially mounted on platform 34 at the outset of the application of wax to yarn strand Y. An intermediate position as when wax cake 35 is partially consumed is illustrated in solid lines for spindle end 50. Finally, the phantom line at 501) indicates the extremity of end 50 when the wax cakes 3S and 35a have been completely consumed and the bottom surface of plate 42 enters into contact with the top surface of platform 34.

Block 26 supporting magnet 28 has been described as being threadedly received on threaded shank end 25. It is thus possible to adjust the vertical positioning of magnet 28 relative to plate 42 to achieve the exact compensating force desired'simply by rotating the magnet on its threads to effect axial movement thereof relative to shank 24. The construction also permits the removal of a particular magnet, for example, the one shown, replacing it with one having a greater depth. This would be desirable if additional cakes of wax are placed in the reserve position on top of the existing wax cakes, thus requiring plate 42 to be raised accordingly. In such case a correspondingly longer spindle would be required having a longer upper shank as well as a longer tip end 50 generally corresponding to the depth of the new magnet. However, these alterations, easily and quickly achieved, have no effect on the basic operation of the invention. To replace consumed wax cakes, it is only necessary to remove plate 42 and spindle 46 from the bushing 12, setting the new cakes into position as described heretofore, and replacing plate 42 and the spindle 46 once again.

The operation of the waxing device of the present invention will be quite apparent from the foregoing description. Accordingly, but a brief summary of the operation will now be presented. Preparatory to waxing yarn plate 42 is elevated, thereby sliding spindle 46 out of bushing 12. The wax cake or cakes are then laid on platform 34 and the spindle 46 is reinserted in bushing 12, the spindle ultimately passing through bore 48 and plate 42 coming to rest on the upper surface of the topmost wax cake. Of course, the projections 38 of the topmost cake of wax are engaged in the mating depressions 40 in plate 44. As the winding machine is started belt 30 is driven to rotate pulley 16. In consequence thereof, spindle 46 is rotated so that plate 42 is driven to drive the wax cake or cakes on platform 34. Thus, as a strand of yarn Y is advanced over the platform it is waxed.

As the waxing continues, the active waxing cake is consumed. Consequently, plate 42 moves downwardly permitting spindle end 50 to enter further into aperture 29 where the attractive force of magnet 28 becomes proportionately greater. Thus, a compensatory force, exerted by magnet 28 through spindle 46, plate 42 and the wax cake, is placed on the yarn to counter the relieving of the pressure on the yarn occasioned by consumption of the wax. Hence, a steady, predetermined pressure is maintained on the wax notwithstanding its consumption. Thus, the yarn is evenly waxed throughout the winding cycle.

It will be appreciated that various alterations of the waxing apparatus as illustrated and described are possible within the metes and bounds of the invention. For example, it is conceivable that the end 50 might be shaped to achieve a variation in the rate of change of the force imparted to wax discs 35, 35a by magnet 28. Another concept of the invention may reside in the use of a suction device in place of magnet 28, certain suitably shaped regions of the drive spindle subjected to the influence of said suction device, the magnitude of influence varying with the consumption rate of the wax.

Accordingly, it is intended that all matters contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for treating an advancing strand of yarn comprising a wax cake engageable with said strand; means for driving said wax cake to deposit wax on said advancing strand; compensating means operable to maintain said wax cake against said strand under a constant pressure as said wax cake is consumed in waxing said strand; said compensating means including biasing means associated with said wax cake; said biasing means including at least a section of ferromagnetic material and a magnet operable to attract said section to thereby exert a force on said biasing means to urge said wax cake against said strand; said biasing means further including a plate and a spindle connected with said plate; said ferromagnetic section being located on said spindle; and said plate and spindle being movable as the wax cake is consumed to thereby position said ferromagnetic section into the field of said magnet to an increasing degree proportional to the consumption of the wax cake to thereby effect said constant pressure.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including means to adjust-said magnet relative to said plate.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 including support means disposing said wax cake for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said wax cake and said plate being movable downwardly toward said support means as said wax cake is consumed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 960,335 6/1910 Kahn 11878 2,014,127 9/1935 Coley 11878 2,751,166 6/1956 Beyer 242- 3,001,946 9/1961 Ientschmann 242-150 3,053,474 9/ 1962 Luntz et al. 242-450 3,297,264 1/1967 Gilbos 242-150 2,920,595 1/ 1960 Gertz 269-8 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,910 12/ 1900 Austria. 631,677 6/ 1936 Germany.

MORRIS KAPLAN, Primary Examiner. 

